The Hindu : Poll panel notice to BJP chief, candidate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 01, 2003

National

National

Poll panel notice to BJP chief, candidate

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 30. The Election Commission today issued show- cause notices to the Bhartiya Janata Party president, Venkaiah Naidu, and the party candidate from the Gole Market Assembly constituency, Poonam Azad, "for violating the model code of conduct by using Government material for campaigning."

While Mr. Naidu has been asked to submit his reply within three days, Ms. Azad has been directed to submit her clarification within 24 hours. The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, had lodged a complaint yesterday with the Chief Election Commissioner, J.M.Lyngdoh, stating that the BJP workers in Gole Market were distributing campaign literature of Ms. Azad in a bag of Ministry of Tourism and Culture. She alleged this was an attempt to exercise undue influence over the Central Government employees who were a majority in Gole Market.

A subsequent inquiry by the District Election Officer (North Delhi), Alka Diwan, found the complaint to be "genuine'' and having violated the model code of conduct. Referring to the investigation, the Election Commission said the official publication of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture contained in a fancy bag with inscription "Incredible India" along with an appeal to voters by the Union Tourism Minister, Jagmohan, and the BJP member of Parliament from Darbhanga, Kirti Azad, were being distributed to voters in the Gole Market Assembly constituency. Poonam Azad is the wife of Kirti Azad.

Concluding that the official publication of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture "has been misappropriated and distributed'' to the electorate of the constituency to promote the prospects of Ms. Azad in the elections, the Commission said .

Jagmohan's denial

Meanwhile, Mr. Jagmohan in a statement denied that he or his Ministry were involved in distribution of such material. Such bags of the Ministry with inscription "Incredible India" were being distributed free of cost at all the hotels of India Tourism Development Corporation and at all the monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India, he said. "I have neither distributed these bags nor authorised anyone to do so."

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